New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-25
MAYOR HEWITTS LETTER.
A COPY OF 1T GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WRATH IN THE BROOKLYN CLUB BECAUSE 1T WAS


which he sent to the Young Mems Democratic CLUB OF
Brook, n, and which President Frederick X Lee ana
other members OF the cl, took the responsibility
of suppressng because they thought it would prove
political bombshell if it were made public lie was
able yesterday 10 furnish copy of it. Ills stenosra
pher to whom he dictated the letter had preserved
the letter. The much-talked-o letter runs thus:
FREDERICK r. LEE. E.q 81 rurk,Dta1t Tsic. iorE cfy
have the honor acknowledge the receipt OF your ser
Of the M asking TO be The guest Of the YONG Ms
dinner as You are aware am Just from oSe 'g NV
phanDer % Of oSl yet viii i be
1S m 10 s e and the
Gratis who will be and tIus, that me an The snc
the Dfmocracy-wl be achieved The Prin,
Gpic, OF inc ae party are on ta apd Which viii de-
party boldly confronted and the %anGs s
nonnced and made clear to The public Inc ZEN nngy Of
which depends entirely upon The Liberty 81 aT g ont
OF power on this sse which indeed IN the
struggle which free government ana prou'ca
toned the Fight Of the White citizens Of the United states to
% S e rio aR MAR e8enSed the same rights
Ss n Is as the e Te r s5s ev aS Of this country
has employ himself and pursue his happiness In
Whn the last fve years however secret organization
sn ay e e o eSny a and make subject
sponsble domination Of men 70 the people Mp Of
law responsible to Tree public opinion and to me t rb
body have stamping al personal inGG9ensa c
by to permit any In The
way The WorSen have been coerced into obedience to
irresponsible power and the condition Of those VINO s trnv
pitable They called by opprobrous names are unsu
ATTY Of stopping all work oSeye pressing ana nar hS eVer
struggled aud which must now confront and denouhce III
III true that holding high positions have CO
quoted element in politics and
apparent and dangerous noe.Iines
which have been put in practice at such fearful COST m our
own midst Wn shis pIessn hotolv disown and con
der any other control that Of The law and deprive the
do and desire this occasion 10 emphasize tis Issue s
attention in the hope state Convention and
the next National cogveolon VIII consmn as MsnRGo
uurp the functions OF the law and destroy tho free agency
have the honor to be very respectfully, ,,s,,rrr
Prcsiucnt Lee was seen by TRIBUNE reporter in
the afternoon and asked whether he would make pub
lie Mr. Hewitts letter. lie replied
meeting of the Brooklyn Young Mems Democratic
Club at an early date and then the whole matter Will
be explained" =, r...
has consented that lis contents shall be printed.
" ! cannot say anything more"
Can you not give the date OF the meeting Oh INC
club 2"
1t will be shortly
Several members OF the club, including most OF the
Executive COMMITTEES, called on Mr; Lee during me
ter. They minated strongly that there would be q
lively time when the club met.
" rhat's the last public dinner the Young Men
Democratic Club i'll give in one "hile" said promi.
nent Democrat OF Brooklyn yesterday -" y more
asinine and idiotc thing was never DONE be added,
by any man foisted into Temporal, prominence thah
Lee did-suppressng Mayor Hewitts letter on his own
responsibility. Ie WILL 30 down to obscurity faster
The suppression Of the letter caused far more com
mrnt in brooklyn than the dinner and In the excite
ment 1t Governor Hills speech was entirely Tor
gotten. The publicat OF the letter showed how
CARRIED the msstatcments made by President
Lee IN regard to IT when lac said that II contained RET
erences to Henry George and DR.. McGlynn
The Dinner Committee of the club VIII meet to-nght
and Ii, ely session IL anticipated. IL consists oil thir
teen members When Mayor Hewitts letter Vas read
President Lee proposed that the passage IN regard TO
connecting with the labor vote te cut out, else that
the letter DO aot read. lie SUPPORTED IA this we"
by H. Maj 'esden jr, but when the matter was put TO
vote they silent the motion 10 read the letter
was unanimously adopted. Mr. Lee turned the letter
over 10 Mr.. Maplcrden 10 nave fifteen copies made
Neither the copies nor the letter was forthcoming on
the night OF the dihner The other members oil inc
committee loud in denounclng Messrs. Leo and
Maplesdcn Tor their action.
IJr. l.. II. krcuschmar, tho chairman oil the com
nnittee said Whoever responsible Tor tho sup
preston of the letter guilty Oi piece OF blank I'M
pudence." Alexander Cameron, another member oi
The committee, SAID " IL unanimously eotcd to
read the Hewitt letter IL was the most idotic thing
ever heard OF to do The letter was entrusted
70 Mr.. Maplesden to have typewriter copies made"
Edward NJ Shepard, the former president of the
club and member oi the committee, who II related 10
MayOr Hewitt. SAID " j am sorry thls
When heard at the dinner that the letter had been
misaid and would not be read expressed myself
freely. II great mistake to suppress II ana a
niece OF arbitrary conduct tor which can md no eX
cuse The Dinner Committee decided To have the let
ter read and then member on his own respons-
b,lity took il 10 Governor Hill. sec the Governor
says he did not hear OF the letter until he reached the
dinner Now as matter OF tact tho letter was
shown to HIM and he said he would not attend II u
was read. 1t either MIR Les or Mr. Mapiesdrn
who took the letter to the Governor would not IKE
to say which. 1t was grevous blunder and piece
OF folly II the e ter had been read there would have
been further talk OF the matter why should gov
ernor Hill take il TO himself The club cannot afford
to Let the matter pass Tho Mayor OF New-iork ana
the Governor OF the State have been nsued anu the
mi alter must set right" o.,
W r. Ferguson of the Executive Committee. said
that President Lee characterized the letter oil mayor
Hewitt bombshel' and u irobrand, ana r .n
that IL be suppressed Mr. Ferguson thought the
action OF Mr. Lee ia the matter ought TO be repudh'eu
at once. Another member thought Mr. Lee should re-
sign the Office OF president since he misrepresented his
fellow members.
Contrary to expectation the Dinner Committee OF
the club held meeting last evening at No ~ court
ri. IL with closed doors and up To late hour no
statement OF the result could DO secured mere wore
Indications however, OF stormy ana eNc'tcd 1'cns
sion which President Lee and Mr. Maplesden had 10
bear brunt of the indignation OF their fellow,com
mittecmen. whose wish TO have Mayor liewits ieter
read had been ruthlessv ignored and dsrcgarded by
these two ren, VINO fit to suppress II. Ut.
Kretzschmar in particular denounced them IN no meas
ured language, lille his face burned with fiery mug
nation. No less fierce was the cutting scoth nha
mercllcHs irony OF Edward VI Shtiilu, h' h'
the effects of the imbecle folly which Mr.. Lee had
comme cd and the disastrous results OF II to the ciup
Other members equally in their utteraDces
OF condemnation for the action OF the president anu
his cOparcener 49, -
Shortly before midnight tie committee. over which Dr
Kretzschmar presided. adopted by vote OF II 10
the following minute and ordered II published TIE hieo
who voted against II President Lee, X Naples
den. jr., and j. l.. friOu:
This committee publicly express fs prsounI
regret that letter with which was hohoiou
rsad at the late dinner. MT I!ewits
submitted u full meeting OF this committee
several days before tho dinner aud after dl'1.LnS,
sion IL decided, without dissenting NOlo ma
the should lie read the dinner. This. qul,e
apart from the important Of the letter was ley
was due Ia guished Official position Oi MI HcW
a. the Democratic Mayor the metropolis 10 his Nus
fr0us and invaluable To the National Democracy
and 10 the long and especial regard which he had
been held by tins club from It's very .orHanha,lou